This afternoon’s EU elections debate will feature the following politicians:
Ursula von der Leyen, for the centre-right European People’s party. Von der Leyen, a German politician, is the current European Commission president and wants a second term.
Nicolas Schmit, for the Party of European Socialists. Schmit, who is from Luxembourg, is now the European commissioner for jobs and social rights. While he is formally the Socialists’ lead candidate, politically he is not considered a contender for the top job of Commission president.
Anders Vistisen, for the far-right Identity and Democracy Party. He is a member of the European parliament from Denmark.
Sandro Gozi, on behalf of Renew Europe Now. Gozi is an Italian politician elected to the European parliament in the French constituency.
Senior European politicians debated economic policy in Brussels, ahead of the June European elections.
Ursula von der Leyen, the current European Commission president and lead candidate for the centre-right European People’s party, called for completing the capital markets union and said issues such as defence, security and competitiveness must be among the priorities for the EU’s next long-term budget.
Nicolas Schmit, for the Party of European Socialists, argued competitiveness includes investing in health, housing, education and infrastructure. He also called for a debate with citizens on real challenges.
Sandro Gozi, debating for Renew Europe Now, called for eliminating obstacles within the EU’s single market and called for Europe to focus more on industry.
Anders Vistisen, from the far-right Identity and Democracy Party, said the European economy is fundamentally broken and called for the EU to cut costs.
Spain said it is permanently withdrawing its ambassador from Argentina as a result of a growing diplomatic feud with the South American country’s radical rightwing president, Javier Milei.
A “foreign agents” law that has brought hundreds of thousands of people on to the streets of Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi could be dropped in return for a package of economic and security support from Washington, the ruling party has hinted.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, will travel to New Caledonia, a spokesperson announced.
The move comes after deadly violence has paralysed the French overseas territory after lawmakers in Paris approved a constitutional amendment to allow recent arrivals to the territory to vote in provincial elections.
Groups of tourists were evacuated from New Caledonia to Australia and New Zealand.
Karl Nehammer, the Austrian chancellor, hosted the British prime minister, Rishi Sunak. The two leaders discussed migration.
Finland’s government proposed emergency legislation today to block asylum seekers entering from its border with Russia.
From left, lead candidate for The European People's Party Ursula von der Leyen, lead candidate for the Party of European Socialists Nicolas Schmidt, lead candidate for the Renew Europe Now party Sandro Gozi and Lead candidate, Identity and Democracy Party Anders Vistisen participate in the Economic Choices for Europe: EU leadership debate 2024 at the Square meeting center, Brussels. Photograph: Virginia Mayo/AP
Anders Vistisen, for the far-right Identity and Democracy party, said in his concluding remarks that the next five years will be crucial, arguing there’s been an EU power grab.
Nicolas Schmit, for the Party of European Socialists, said Europe must be bold, innovative, courageous. We need a strong debate with our citizens on the real challenges, he argued.
In her closing remarks, Ursula von der Leyen, the European People’s party lead candidate, said the core task is to create good jobs and to ensure the social market economy prevails.
She said she wants Europe to lead on cutting-edge technologies.
Von der Leyen also said geopolitics is playing a role, but that the single market should be strengthened.
Sandro Gozi for Renew Europe Now listed his priorities as security, digital, green transition and focusing more on investment with cross-border dimension.
Asked about the priorities for the next EU budget, Ursula von der Leyen said defence, security, competitiveness, decarbonisation, digitalisation are among the priorities but that a discussion is needed with leaders. Topics like agriculture and cohesion will play a role, she noted.
There is no one EU budget, in her view. Besides the seven-year Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), she pointed to several instruments negotiated over the past years.
There’s a need to define priorities for the next MFF, she stressed.
She also argued there’s a need for more simplicity.
If I want to cut, I want to cut on time and complexity, she said.
Anders Vistisen, for the far-right Identity and Democracy Party, said the EU already has a sufficient budget and that half the EU agencies should be abolished. The EU is already too big and too bureaucratic, he argued.
Nicolas Schmit, for the Party of European Socialists, said Europe has created a platform for legal migration, working with member states, and that there’s an acceptance that Europe needs migration.